It's really amazing how much pathos is generated while there's nothing on screen but violence and mass panic.
War of the Worlds (2005)
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Reviews Counted:240
Fresh:176
Rotten:64
Average Rating:7/10
Consensus: War of the Worlds delivers on the thrill and paranoia of H.G. Wells' classic novel.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for frightening sequences of sci-fi violence and disturbing images
Runtime: 1 hr 57 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Theatrical Release:Jun 29, 2005 Wide
Box Office: $234,141,872
Synopsis: On June 29th, 2005, Earth goes to war. From Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures comes "War of the Worlds," directed by Steven Spielberg and starring international superstar Tom Cruise. A... On June 29th, 2005, Earth goes to war. From Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures comes "War of the Worlds," directed by Steven Spielberg and starring international superstar Tom Cruise. A contemporary retelling of H.G. Wells's seminal classic, the sci-fi adventure thriller reveals the extraordinary battle for the future of humankind through the eyes of one American family fighting to survive it. The film also stars Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin, and Tim Robbins. Cruise stars as Ray Ferrier, a divorced dockworker and less-than-perfect father. Soon after his ex-wife (Miranda Otto) and her new husband drop off his teenage son Robbie (Justin Chatwin) and young daughter Rachel (Dakota Fanning) for a rare weekend visit, a strange and powerful lightning storm touches down. Moments later, at an intersection near his house, Ray witnesses an extraordinary event that will change all their lives forever. A towering three-legged war machine emerges from deep beneath the earth and, before anyone can react, incinerates everything in sight. An ordinary day has suddenly become the most extraordinary event of their lifetimes - the first strike in a catastrophic alien attack on Earth. Ray scrambles to get his children away from this merciless new enemy, embarking on a journey that will take them across the ravaged countryside, where they become caught in the desperate tide of refugees fleeing from an extraterrestrial army of Tripods. But no matter where they run, there is no safety, no refuge … only Ray's unconquerable will to protect the ones he loves. Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures present an Amblin Entertainment/Cruise|Wagner Production, a Steven Spielberg film, "War of the Worlds." Directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Josh Friedman and David Koepp, based on the novel by H. G. Wells, the film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson. The executive producer is Paula Wagner. The film also stars Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin and Tim Robbins. This film has been rated PG-13 for Frightening Sequences of Sci-Fi Violence and Disturbing Images. Spielberg's core filmmaking team, which has collaborated with the director on numerous projects, is led by director of photography Janusz Kaminski, ASC, production designer Rick Carter, editor Michael Kahn, A.C.E., and costume designer Joanna Johnston. Music is composed by John Williams. Visual effects and animation is by Industrial Light & Magic, led by senior visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren and visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman. "War of the Worlds" opens worldwide on June 29, 2005. The film's official website is: www.waroftheworlds.com -- © DreamWorks Pictures [More]
Starring: Tom Cruise, Miranda Otto, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins
Starring: Tom Cruise, Miranda Otto, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins, Justin Chatwin
Director: Steven Spielberg
Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: Josh Friedman, David Koepp
Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Paula Wagner, Colin Wilson, Tom Cruise
Composer: John Williams
Studio: DreamWorks Distribution LLC
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Reviews for War of the Worlds
...Steven Spielberg's shortest film since the early '90s - yet the film still sports the same sort of uneven pace that's been plaguing his movies for years now.
falls way short on ideas, character development, and creative wonderment
You could do a whole lot worse if you’re looking through generic science fiction or disaster movies, but Steven Spielberg’s standards are usually much higher than this.
The man who gave human dimension to the effects of holocaust in Schindler's List has now prostituted human extermination for entertainment. Bread and circuses, indeed.
People will nit-pick at the plot and the script... but you can't look at what Spielberg has put together in the first two-thirds of this film and not be humbled and amazed.
Only a master film-maker could squeeze white-knuckle terror out of an old war-horse like H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds."
Gritty visuals, paired with awesome sound design, create a trepidation that at moments rises to a quality we haven't seen in a Spielberg film since 1977.
What comes next is a prolonged look at unthinkable devastation, structured as one family's troubled dynamics.
This sense of constant anxiety is the most potent effect of the film.
Spielberg seldom gives Cruise, not to mention the audience, a break from the unstoppable peril of merciless invasion.
Forget the story and go for the ride. 'War of the Worlds' is a great summer thriller.
It may be no coincidence the president's poll numbers and the movie industry's ticket sales are both in a slump: Doom-and-gloom scenarios are playing out offscreen and on...
Rather grim, joyless excitement 9/11 imagery gives the film some topical cache, but there's no commentary or catharsis here.
War of the Worlds confronts the West's collective feelings of vulnerability but at the same time it reassures our potential for survival.
Never Before Has Spielberg so Tragically Shot Himself in the Foot with his Ending and Never before have I been so Willing to Forgive.
Most of the film is utterly terrifying. On that level, Spielberg has succeeded totally....Where the film runs into problems is in the overall pacing and structure.
There’s not much plot, depth or character development, but it more than makes up for it in relentless intensity and consistency of vision.
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 78% 78% | The Hangover |
| 49% 49% | Taking Woodstock |
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